ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the posttraumatic stress disorder(PTSD) and ethical decision-making in nurses suffered workplace violence, and analyze the relmionship between them. Methods Totally 340 nurses suffered workplace violence were questionnaired by the PTSD Scale and the Ethical Decision- making Scale. Results The incidence rate of PTSD was 17.06%(58/340), the total score of PTSD was (38.77± 13.57).The scores of ideal ethical practice, actual ethical practice and ethical decision- making in the PTSD group were 121.36±8.33, 105.56±7.76, 226.92±15.52, and were significantly lower than that in the non-PTSD group (140.60±9.01, 117.65±8.41, 258.27±16.73) (t=-14.996, -10.015, -13.153, P < 0.01). The score of PTSD was negtively correlated with the scores of ideal ethical practice, actual ethical practice and ethical decision- making (r=-0.415, -0.431,-0.420, P < 0.05). Conclusions The PTSD probably occurred after workplace violence, nursing administrators should pay close attention to the PTSD and therefore improve nurses′ethical decision-making.